You Are the Change in Me
by 19RosesofLifeandDeath98
Summary: Change is scary, even when it's a good thing, because once that line is crossed there's no turning back. Cloak and Dagger fic with Tandy Bowen/ Tyrone Johnson
1. Chapter 1

"Permission to enter?" Tandy calls from the top of the scaffolding.

Yes, they've done this like twenty times, but so much has changed for him in such a short time. His entire world got flipped upside down, so she wants to respect his boundaries. He turns casually, like he'd be expecting her, and gives a mirthful grin.

"Granted."

He crosses the church and catches the grocery bags as she tosses them down before shimmying down herself. Ty offers his hand and she takes it, only a millisecond of hesitation this time. This is a big change, too, them touching. She tries not to think about… well, _how much_ she thinks about it. Touching Tyrone is like candy. Now that she's had a taste she wants it all the time. Brief brushes of the shoulder or finger tips ghosting over an elbow feel electrifying, whereas longer touches, like their hands right now, make her melt.

It's addictive, really. Her pulse quickens, her veins sing with energy. They've thankfully gotten the lightshow under control, but the sensation hasn't dimmed. She has to wonder, though. These feelings that arise every time they touch, is it their powers connecting or is it just her feelings for him?

 _Feelings_ is an ominous word that she doesn't like using, so she quickly says, "What's up?"

It's a stupid question, but he shrugs playfully. "Hey, you know. Lenny's working his way up in the world."

She laughs. "Good to hear." Then she notices something on his upper lip. "Tyrone, is that blood?"

His eyes widen before anger scrunches them up. "Shit." He wipes it off but in no way seems surprised.

She understand immediately. "You've been doing it again haven't you?"

"Tan," he places the groceries by the altar.

"You have! Damn it, Ty, last time you fricking _passed out._ "

"I know, I know, _I know_." He holds up his hands passively, "I pushed it too far. I haven't tried a distance that great since, I promise. This is fine, though. I'm increasing it slowly."

Tandy shakes her head, still livid that he'd given himself a fricking nosebleed. Eventually she gives in, crossing her arms and mumbling, "How far?"

"Gramercy."

She nods. That isn't bad; can't be more than fifty miles, but _still_. "Can you take it easy for a few days, please? You can't overwork yourself. I need my partner in top shape."

Normally calling him her anything got the faintest blush or reluctant smile on his face. Not now.

"I'm losing my mind, here, Tandy! I'm being hunted like an animal and caged like one, so excuse me for wanting some fresh air."

* * *

He regrets it almost as soon as it's out of his mouth. Tandy doesn't deserve this, not when she's been one of the only steady things in his life as of late. He's just so done. He's done with his parents being scared for his life. He's done living in constant paranoia. Shit, he'd take just sleeping in an actual bed as a fricking upgrade. But no, Tandy doesn't deserve this.

He practically collapses onto the front pew, head in his hands. "I'm sorry, Tan."

She sits beside him, arm weaving around his back. His body is both sedated and brought alive; calmed and invigorated all at once. He supposes being with Tandy has always been like that, even before they could touch. Now those feelings he's been trying to explain away have physical validation and it's not helping.

Tandy speaks up. "I'm sorry, Ty. I'm sorry this happened to you, that you're stuck here. I'm sorry the world fucking sucks."

The last words are lost in her exhale, like they're too exhausting to speak. He realizes she's tired, too. She did this for much longer, forced onto the street when she was just a kid. Plus, Tyrone has Tandy and Evita helping him through this. Tandy was on her own. The idea tightens a vice around his heart. He leans his head against hers and she wraps her other arm around him, fully embracing him.

"You don't deserve this." She says seemingly to herself.

Tyrone sighs. They stay like that for a few minutes before Tandy pulls away, a surprising bit of mischief in her eyes.

He's instantly wary. "What?"

"I actually came here to ask you something." She says. "My mom has a job interview in Alexandria. It was unexpected and super last-minute, but it's a good position and one she really wants, so she got a friend to give her a ride and I've got the house to myself until tomorrow morning."

Tyrone's thoughts don't immediately go to all the things most teenagers do when their parents aren't home, but once they're there, he can't _stop_ thinking about it.

He swallows. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, so you should sleep over." _Holy shit, she's not even dancing around it._ "The trailer isn't exactly fresh air but it's something."

Tyrone nods in agreement but his brain is short circuiting. She wants him to sleep over, a term that has two very different meanings. One is something fun and innocent that middle schoolers do on weekends. The other is more, much more, and Tyrone doesn't know what to do about it. Tandy doesn't feel that way about him, does she? They're best friends. That isn't going to change just because they can touch now.

Except that's a lie and Ty knows it. It's changed everything. He thought maybe if they ever figured out a way to touch, he'd be able to stop thinking about it, but that wasn't the case. Now he finds himself studying how every touch is different. Some are fleeting, others linger. They're still figuring out how to do this and as much as it's painfully awkward sometimes, it's also exciting.

But… _sleeping over_? That goes far beyond any kind of physical curiosity. That's Tyrone admitting that he's feelings for Tandy are deeper and more complicated than he lets on, and he isn't ready for that, especially if Tandy doesn't feel the same way.

Swallowing the lump of anxiety in his throat, Ty asks hesitantly, "When you say 'sleep over' do you mean…?"

He's flustered, and not in the usual way that Tandy gets a kick out of. There's something deeply troubled in his expression and it doesn't sit well with her.

"When you say 'sleep over' do you mean…?"

* * *

She blinks at him for a moment. Tyrone makes some sort of gesture with her hands and somehow that makes her understand. And then she's laughing, exploding with giggles because _oh my God, he's fricking adorable._

"We have a couch, Ty, jeez."

She swats his arm playfully, but her heart is beating double-time. She hadn't thought about… _that_. Well, not for tonight. In truth, she just wants to get him out of the church somewhere he knows he'll be safe. But… she does think about it, more than she's proud to admit. She wonders what he likes, how he sounds, how he _feels._

 _Shit_ , Tandy can feel her cheeks flushing. She stands abruptly, forcing an aloof cadence into her voice. "Flash in around seven, okay? I'll order pizza."

Ty nods once, holds her eyes for half a second before averting them. "Yeah, yeah sure. That sounds really nice."

"Cool." She says, and has to consciously remind herself not to run out of the church.

* * *

A soon as she's gone, Ty's hand is in his shorts, trying to relieve the tension that had been coiling in his stomach since that awkward conversation began. He feels guilty as he touches himself. He always feels guilty when it's Tandy he's thinking of. Yes, he understands that he's not really doing anything wrong, but she's his best friend. He's not supposed to imagine her… the way he's imagining her, right? He cums with a grunt of frustration and sinks back into the pew.

* * *

Tandy kisses her mother goodbye, promises to call her if anything goes wrong, assures her for the hundredth time that the interview is going to be great, but the entire time her thoughts are consumed by Ty. Isn't that sick? She's supposed to be helping her mom pick an outfit and all she can do is imagine Tyrone's hands on her breasts, his tongue in her mouth, his fingers inside her. _Fuck_ , Tandy storms into the bedroom, practically ripping off her jeans and burying her hand bellow the waistband of her underwear.

* * *

Tyrone absolutely does not travel forty miles and spend $8 of his very limited cash supply to purchase condoms. He doesn't spend nearly half an hour staring at himself in the small hand mirror Tandy had given him obsessing over his appearance. He doesn't do any of these things because nothing is going to happen tonight. They're going to get pizza, probably watch a movie, and then sleep in separate rooms. And Ty's perfectly happy with that.

* * *

When Tyrone flashes into her living room at five after seven, Tandy is perfectly calm. She did not actually attempt to tidy up the house. She didn't spend extra time on her hair and she definitely hadn't changed into the nicest set of underwear that she owned. She smiles and jokes with him like she always does, because nothing between them is changing, and she's perfectly okay with that.


	2. Chapter 2

Tyrone has never really been good at "normal." Maybe it's because he lost his brother so young, maybe it's this Diving Pairing shit. Maybe he's just not built for normal, though being here with Tandy feels just as good. They can sit on her couch, eat pizza and watch movies like all other teenagers and yet he doesn't have to lie about everything else: the very _not normal_ parts of his life. Tandy doesn't get uncomfortable when he talks about Billy. She doesn't judge when he tells her his nightmares and fears. She just listens and accepts him as if he _is_ normal.

Tandy grabs another slice and takes a bite, a long string of cheese still hanging onto the pizza. Ty laughs as she makes some _very_ interesting faces trying to get it.

"Classy." He mutters and cringes when she chews louder to spite him.

"Eat me, choir boy."

He rubs the corner of his mouth. "You got a little something there."

Tandy licks her lips but fails to get the last bit of tomato sauce. Without thinking, Ty brushes his thumb along the corner of her mouth. Her eyes widen a fraction and his thoughts slow down. In a split second he thinks _holy shit, what are you doing? What possessed you to do that? She's gonna kick you out. She's never going to talk to you again. Her lips seem so small. And soft. Oh God, you're so fricking weird. Move your damn hand!_

He doesn't exactly whip his arm back, but it's a near thing. Tandy seems to have recovered, standing abruptly.

"More soda?"

"Nope." Ty answers just as brusquely.

She ducks into the kitchen without looking at him. Tyrone's cheeks are burning and he has half the mind to text Evita for emergency advice. He's going to ruin everything, not just their evening, but their whole friendship if he doesn't get his shit together.

0o0o0o0

Tandy grabs a soda from the fridge and presses it to her collar bone, desperately trying to stave off the flush blooming across her skin. What the _hell_ is he getting at? Tonight is supposed to be chill, a chance for him to unwind, not… whatever that was. Yes, she is the one wearing fancy underwear, but that isn't the point.

The point is she's being torn in half; part of her wants to march in there and throw herself at him, the other wants to jump out the window. She glances at it, considers running for a solid ten seconds before bucking up and heading back into the living room. Ty smiles at her, but it's comically fake. She almost laughs. He probably hadn't intended anything, even though his fingers sent currents through her. He was just being Ty; her adorable, awkward best friend, Ty. She just needs to get a grip and get these stupid _feelings_ under control before they ruin everything.

0o0o0o0

Tyrone gets to pick the second movie, though he's barely even paying attention. Most of his concentration is devoted to not getting hard, picturing his grandmother in a bikini and the like. Tandy had sat more apart from him than normal, but the ancient couch dipped them both in toward the center. She seemed to battle herself for a moment before making up her mind and leaning in so that their shoulders were touching. Ty smiled despite the crazed beating of his heart because he wanted her to know this was okay, that touch didn't have to change anything between them.

Something onscreen explodes and Tandy scoffs, bringing him back into the moment. "That's so unrealistic." She says.

Ty smirks and nudges her gently. "I thought hanging out with Mina was supposed to cure your cynicism."

"Mina's a romantic, but she's not an idiot. She'd never stand for this fake science."

"Come on, it's science _fiction_."

Tandy shakes her head. "Excuses." But her lips are curling upward.

Something in that smile allows Ty to finally relax. During one of the slower parts of the movie, she leans her head against his shoulder and he complies without hesitating. Just when he's feeling confident, like he may actually have some self-restraint, Tandy's fingertips brush along his. He can almost feel her glance up at him, but his gaze is locked straight ahead. He's afraid to move.

Tandy seems frozen, too. Her fingers hover between his, just shy of entwining. Tyrone's body is humming, sensing hers so close yet not close enough. He thought this would change after they learned to touch. He thought his body would stop needing her once it got a taste, but he was wrong. He still aches when they're not together and maybe his body has nothing to do with it. Maybe it's his soul crying out for its other half.

Tyrone takes her hand, threading their fingers together because he's tired of lying to himself. He's tired of making excuses for how he feels. This time he meets her wide eyes, full of confusion and doubt. He doesn't look away, doesn't deny what she must also realize: they have changed, and not just because they can touch. There's been something between them for a long time, something that goes deeper than the skin, down to the marrow of who they are. She's changed him in ways he can't begin to explain and he's seen the ways that she's changed, too.

He kisses her like it's the answer to everything, like they've been lost for so long and found home in each other.

0o0o0o

Clearly Tandy's self-control had been hanging on by a thread because as soon as Ty kisses her – well, as soon as she _processes_ that he's kissing her – she lets go, totally and completely. Light dances behind her eyelids and her veins flood with energy so strong it almost hurts. She ends up in his lap, not sure how but it doesn't matter because his body is flush against hers and she thinks she may die, right here and now.

This is what she's wanted for so long and now that she has him, she can't get enough. She clutches his shoulders, desperately trying to bring him closer. Hands that she has seen be so gentle and so careful now clutch at her hips in the most perfect way. He gasps when she pushes her tongue into his mouth and she could get drunk off the sound.

She pulls away, chest heaving, and says, "I'm on the pill." At the same moment Ty says. "I have condoms." They blink at each other and say in chorus, "What?"

Then they're laughing like idiots and she's burying her face in his neck. His fingers hook playfully in her belt loops. She lets herself sit and breathe him in for a moment before sitting up to raise her brow at him.

"You brought condoms?"

"Yeah." He admits bashfully.

"Thought you were gonna get lucky tonight?"

"No! I just…" he shakes his head and the words fade away.

She should cut him a break. Really, it's a relief to know he was having the same feelings about tonight, about _her._ She shouldn't tease him, but that's never stopped her before. Looking up at him through her lashes, Tandy shimmies out of her flannel.

"I like a guy that comes prepared." She purrs.

Tyrone scoffs and bites his lip, deftly avoiding her eyes. "I can't do this."

She's about to point out that she can literally feel his hard on and it seems like he very much _can_ do this when his arms lock around her hips and he launches himself off the couch. Tandy squeals and throws her arms around his neck. He laughs triumphantly.

"Which way to the bedroom?" he asks, spinning sharply. "This way? That way?"

"Stop!" she cries, though the smile in her voice betrays her. "You know where it is!"

"Just checking." He smirks.

Tandy growls and bites at his throat, readjusting her legs so that she can grind against his pelvis. If he wants to play, she's going to make it absolute _hell_ for him. His step falters and she grins wickedly into his skin. When her lips find a sensitive spot just below his ear, he all but chucks her onto the bed.

Her laughter dies when he doesn't follow her. He just stands at the foot of the bed, hands fidgeting at his sides like he isn't sure what to do now. Something in his vulnerability is so endearing that Tandy can't help but smile. Slowly she crawls to the foot of the bed and raises herself on her knees. There's hardly an inch of space between them. She can feel his breath on her face and maybe it's their abilities, maybe it's her imagination, but she swears she can feel his pulse thundering from here.

Slowly, she reaches for his hoodie, glancing up to make sure this is okay. He barely nods, eyes boring into her. She pushes it off his shoulders and lets it fall to the floor. She kisses him softly, hands ghosting up his bare arms. Her fingers pause when they trace over the raised flesh of his scar. Tandy looks for any sign of discomfort on his face, but there is none. He looks peaceful, willing to let her explore whatever she wants. She runs a tentative finger over the mark again.

They were meant to end up here, she thinks suddenly. They were always meant to, but she let fear and doubt convince her otherwise. She thought it was selfish to want him in this way. Finding each other after years of suffering alone was a miracle. She couldn't jeopardize that on the whim of feelings she didn't even fully understand.

Except now she does understand. Tyrone isn't a gamble. Her feelings for him aren't a gamble. It's destiny.

0o0o0o0

He watches her drift off to another world, the hunger in her eyes softening. She's beautiful in ways he didn't know were possible. Can she hear how frantically his heart is beating? Does she have any idea what her touch does to him? He runs his fingers along her jaw, down to her shoulder and arm where her scar is. Her eyes close, head tilting back with a small hum of pleasure. Yeah, maybe she does know how he feels.

Before he can talk himself out of it, he hooks his thumb under the straps of her tank top and bra. He meets her eyes to make sure it's okay but hers aren't even open. She's trusting him, and the weight of that is not lost on him. He pulls the straps down and plants feather-light kisses to the exposed skin.

"Ty," Tandy whispers and it ignites something in the pit of his stomach.

His kisses her possessively, fingers digging into the base of her spine. She takes in the slightest breath before pressing her hand flat against his chest and pushing him backward. He blinks, worried he's done something wrong, but her eyes are deep and lustful. She keeps those eyes on him as she crosses her arms and pulls the tank top over her head. He tries not to stare but she's just… _impossibly beautiful._

There's no time to recover before she's tugging his shirt over his head. He may get addicted to this: her hands roaming over every inch of him, an appreciative glint in her eyes. His inhibitions are weakening, giving way to desire. Cupping her face in his hands, he kisses her, teasing her bottom lip with his tongue. She grins against his mouth, opening for him with a luscious moan. She pulls him onto the bed as much as he pushes her. Time and space become irrelevant, his thoughts narrowing to her hands and lips and tongue.

Tandy must be aware of the time, though, because her head snaps back and she demands in a breathy little laugh, "I'm still very overdressed, choir boy."

Ty grins, "No pleasing you, is there?"

"Get me naked and find out."

" _Oh my God_ ," he grumbles, sitting up to work at the zipper of her jeans.

She helps by raising her butt off the bed so he can get the denim past her thighs. He tosses the pants haphazardly behind him and lets his eyes devour her. They hadn't bothered to turn on any lights so it's hard to see, but Ty can make out the lacey designs of her bra and matching panties. The sight alone could bring him to his knees if he weren't already, but there's a teasing grin splitting his face.

"Thought you were gonna get lucky tonight?"

"Shut up." Tandy surges upward, catching his lips as she pulls him onto his back.

She wastes no time getting him underdressed. Then it's only the fabric of their underwear keeping them apart and Ty thinks he might die. Tandy probably wants to take control – and hey, he's not going to complain – but there's too much space between them and he realizes he misses her. Sitting up, his arms weave around her back and his mouth goes to her throat. She makes a small noise of surprise before melting into the embrace. Her hips roll against his in a way that has his head spinning and his dick throbbing.

They ride these waves of pleasure for a while before Tyrone decides to turn the tide. His lips drift to the valley of her breasts, his thumb sneaking under her bra to dart over her nipple. Tandy sucks in a breath and her pace falters. Ty raises his knees to push her even closer, caging her with his body. His hands move along her ribs to her back and he waits.

There's a spasm of emotion across her face that he can't read, but before he can ask, she demands, "Kiss me."

He does and when she grinds down on him again, he sees stars. She twists to unclasp her bra and throw it across the room. His hands are on her in an instant, cupping her breasts and rolling her nipples between his fingers. Her nails dig into his skin which eggs him on, taking one nipple in his mouth. His tongue darts around it and her breaths turn to moans. He turns to the other breast, lavishing it the same before biting down on the sensitive skin. A gasp becomes a cry, then fizzles into a whimper as he soothes it with his tongue.

"Ty," she says urgently, "condom."

He feels a bit smug having pushed her to the breaking point before he remembers the condoms are in his jean pocket, which is scattered somewhere in the room.

"Jeans." He admits and Tandy groans in a nonsexual, very annoyed way.

As they break apart to look, Tyrone is made hyperaware of his erection. It pulses seemingly in protest and his search becomes even more frantic.

"Got it." Tandy says, holding the sealed packet between her fingers.

Ty smiles bashfully and holds out his hand. Instead of giving it to him, Tandy's sultry grin returns. She raises herself on her toes so that her breath dances across his earlobe.

"Allow me." She whispers and Ty swallows whatever noise was about to escape him.

She inclines her head and he sits obediently, moving back to give her space. She climbs on top of him and, to his surprise, sets the condom on the nightstand beside the bed. He furrows his brows at her which only makes her grin widen.

"Don't worry, angel." She leans in for a brief kiss. "I know what I'm doing."

Every coherent thought disappears as her lips make the slow trek down his body; up his jaw, down his neck, across his chest and lower still to his abdomen. Her tongue circles his navel and Ty fights the urge to fidget. She must see it, because she repeats the motion until he breaks. Her laugh reverberates against his skin.

Sitting back slightly, she tucks two fingers below the waistband of his boxers and looks up at him. He can't nod, can hardly breathe, but she sees the answer in his eyes and pulls his shorts down. Self-consciousness crashes over him like ice water but he doesn't try to hide himself. He's never hidden himself from Tandy.

She isn't an idle observer, her hands exploring just as much as her eyes. Her nails gently scrape up his inner thighs and he sucks in a breath, trying not to cum before she even touches his dick.

"You're beautiful." He thinks she says, but it's so quiet, and then her hands are around him and he can't think of much else.

He knows that she's more experienced in this department, but _fuck_ , it's like she has a blueprint to his nervous system and knows exactly what to do to make his brain short circuit. She alternates between long and fast strokes, swirling her thumb over his tip. When she takes him in her mouth, Ty actually blacks out. He doesn't lose consciousness, but the darkness envelopes him in its warmth, amplifying his pleasure until it feels like he may burst.

"Woah," Tandy gasps. When his vision rights itself, Ty can see that the shadows are lapping over his whole body and even Tandy's where they're connected. Her expression is slack, eyes fluttering closed. "This feels… _amazing._ "

She says it like she's drugged and Ty worries for a second that this may be impairing her consent, but she comes back into herself, smiling in a way that is unquestionably Tandy. Her eyes shine with mirth and Ty realizes that he loves her, like "I will follow this girl to the ends of the Earth" loves her. He stares in awe until her mouth is on him again and his head thuds back against the pillows.

He loves her? He loves her. _Shit,_ he _loves_ her. They survived hell together. They stopped the end of the world together. Now they're here and all he can think is that he loves her and how dangerous that is. Billy was taken away from him and he doesn't have a clue when he'll be able to see his parents again. Who's to say something won't come along and steal Tandy from him, too?

The thought makes him sick with worry and need for her. He chokes out, " _Tandy._ "

Her head snaps up but he doesn't elaborate beyond reaching for the condom on the table. She slinks back up the bed, reading the newfound tension in his body.

"You okay?"

He grunts a yes, tearing open the foil wrapper. Tandy's hand circles his wrist, the other cupping his chin and forcing him to look at her.

"Ty," she says softly, "talk to me."

The gentle stroking of her thumb is what makes him cave, eventually. His fingers go to the burn on her arm. He stares at it earnestly instead of meeting her eyes.

"I'm scared." He says in a low voice.

"Ty, we don't have to do anything. If you're not ready –"

"No, no." He puts a finger to her lips. "It's not that." He traces the rise of her cheek, pushing some hair out of her face. "I don't want to lose you."

She blinks, confused. "What do you mean?"

He sighs and she pulls him into her arms, his head pillowed against her chest. Her fingers scratch methodically at his scalp and her other hand rubs up and down his arm. His eyes fall closed, lulled by the repetition and the sound of her heartbeat.

"I'm scared of this: you and me. Not because I don't want it but… things I love keep getting taken from me. Keep getting put in danger. I'm scared of wanting this too much just to have it taken away."

Tandy continues to hold him, planting a kiss on his temple. After a while she pulls back.

"Hey, we're the Divine _fricking_ Pairing." She presses her palm against his, light and dark spilling out between their fingers. "We can do anything. Whatever comes at us, we'll take it on together. You're not gonna lose me, Tyrone."

He smiles weakly and threads their fingers together. "I like when you called me angel."

Her eyes glimmer. "Yeah?" she says, leaning in for a kiss.

It's tender and sweet, free of any expectation. He knows she'd stop now if he asked, but he doesn't want to. He wants to feel all of her, lose himself in this. He angles his jaw to deepen the kiss and Tandy arches into it. His hands feel clumsy and awkward as they tug at her lacey underwear, but Tandy chuckles against his mouth like she doesn't care.

She straddles him in one fluid motion and now there's nothing between them. Ty somehow feels drunk and high all at once. The darkness returns, cloaking them both in a haze of sensation and they moan in tandem.

Tandy takes him in her hand again and he's fully erect within moments. She gropes along the bedsheets, searching for where Ty had left the half-open condom. She tears the rest of it off with her teeth and Ty swallows audibly. Once he's covered, she meets his eyes one last time to make sure. He answers by pulling her flush against him and kissing her.

Tyrone thinks he may have teleported them to another dimension by accident, because the feeling of being inside her is transcendent. Their foreheads are pressed together, mouths agape as they try to get a full breath. It's hard when his body is going supernova. Tandy is literally glowing. Coupled with the tendrils of darkness caressing her skin, she looks like some sort of celestial goddess.

"You okay?" she pants, though it's hard to hear her over the thrum in his ears.

He nods feverishly. "You?"

She nods once and starts to move and yeah, maybe he's not so okay. Maybe this is how he dies, but _hell_ , what a way to go. He grabs at her ass, kisses her breasts as she rides him. He tries to match her thrust for thrust, gripping her hips hard enough to bruise. She seems more than pleased, calling out his name and throwing her head back.

He buries his face in her neck, kissing her pulse point. When he closes his eyes, he can still see her light behind his eyelids. This is heaven, he thinks. There isn't a doubt in his mind. Her pace increases relentlessly and he begins to fall behind, body seizing up as the darkness coils deeper within him, desperate for a release.

"Come on, angel." Her breath is hot in his ear. "Come on."

He wants it so bad it hurts. Her name escapes him like a prayer, begging her to put him out of his misery.

"I've got you, Ty. Just let go."

The darkness around them explodes with energy. Tandy gasps as the wave hits her, but Ty just holds onto her in hopes he won't drown. She rides him through it, gently rocking her hips as his entire being is blown apart. She's murmuring something in his ear but he doesn't catch it, still coming down from the climax. When he feels like he can get a full breath, he opens his eyes to find her smiling expectantly.

" _Shit_." He says intelligently and she bursts out laughing.

She glances around the room as the shadows begin to dissipate. "Well that was interesting."

He nods sheepishly and she kisses his shy smile.

"Hey." He grins, meaning to say more but coming up short.

"Hey." She pecks him one more time before crawling out of his lap and heading to the dresser.

She grabs a few tissues and hands them to him. He mutters a thank you and starts cleaning himself up, realizing he's never had someone witness this… not-so-sexy part of sex with him before. Tandy flops down beside him as he tosses the tissues into the waste bin. He looks down at her, propping himself up on his elbow. She seems content to just lay there, watching him, but something's itching at the back of his mind.

"Hey, um…" He drums his fingers against her knee. "Did you… ya know…" Tandy eyes him warily, "finish?"

Her lips perk up immediately, but it's rehearsed. "Yeah, of course."

"Tan."

"Not all women cum like banshees, okay?" she snaps.

Ty stills his hand. "Okay, I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were happy."

"Well, I am. I don't need to cum to have fun."

Tyrone nods, keeping his gaze on a cluster of freckles on her outer thigh. "So you didn't?"

Tandy sighs and pulls away from him. As high as Tyrone had been just a minute ago, he now feels lower than ever. His expression must be pitiful, because she has mercy and reaches for his hand.

"Just don't worry about it, okay?"

Ty nods again mutely, an idea taking shape in his head. He grins and tugs on her hand.

"Come here."

She sits bolt upright. "Why?"

He tries to soothe the rigidity in her shoulders with his touch. "Just come here."

"No, Ty." She turns her back to him, hugging her knees to her chest.

Ty feels like his world has been knocked off its axis. His skin is ablaze with the desire to touch her, but that isn't what she needs right now. He stays exactly where he is, casting his head down, even though her back is to him.

"I'm sorry, Tan. I don't want to pressure you." He mulls over the words carefully. "It's just… you made me feel _amazing._ You always do. You make me feel safe and happy and normal." He laughs a little because what they just experienced was anything but normal. "You make me feel alive."

Tandy doesn't look at him, but the hunch of her shoulders relaxes. Still, he doesn't give in, stays exactly where he is.

"I want to make you feel like that. I want to make you happy. If you really don't want to do anything else tonight, I'll understand. But I'm here for you, okay? Whatever you want."

The silence that stretches over them is thick and stifling, but he'll hold his breath and wait as long as she needs him to.

0o0o0o0

Tandy thinks she might draw blood, teeth sinking into her lower lip. She's trying desperately not to cry. That would just be the cherry on top of this whole fricking situation. Tonight had been so _unbelievably_ perfect. Of course it's all crashing down on her now. That's how the world works. Squaring her shoulders, Tandy shifts to face the foot of the bed, Tyrone sitting in her peripheral vision.

"It takes me awhile to get there." She grinds out, damning how meek her own voice sounds.

She sees Ty nod his head. "Okay."

He says that, but she knows how this is going to end. Guys say that they don't mind, they're patient, they're willing to put in the effort, but it always ends the same fucking way.

"There's nothing wrong with me, okay? I like sex. It just takes me so long to get there that it's easier to not worry about it when I'm with a guy and just take care of it myself afterward."

Her fists are balled defensively at her sides and she can feel her palms heating up. She concentrates on extinguishing the flame, doesn't let herself try and gauge Ty's reaction.

After a beat, he asks, "Who said there's anything wrong with you?"

Sadness and anger coil low in her gut. "Guys I've been with."

"Those guys are fucking idiots."

Tandy snorts and tucks her chin into her chest, finally risking a glimpse in Ty's direction. He's still keeping a respectable distance. It would break her heart if he ever looked at her the way those guys did; like she was a problem, an inconvenience.

"You'll feel differently about me, after." She promises.

Ty shakes his head, extending his hand so that it sits between them, ready for her to take it. "No, I won't, Tandy. I love you."

Her brain processes the words about five times before they actually register. She stares at him, searches for any sign that this is a joke. There's nothing but openness and sincerity in his eyes.

"What?"

"I love you." _God, he actually says it_ again. "And that's no pressure or anything. I just wanted you to know."

The heat in her palms is back and spreading through her veins, lighting her whole body on fire. The urge to run is overwhelming. Every self-preserving bone in her body wants to cover herself and flee. Sex is dangerous, love even more so. The more people saw your vulnerabilities, the more people knew how to hurt you.

She must spend awhile in her own head, because Ty clears his throat uncomfortably. "Um, I can leave, if you want."

Yes, that would be for the best, wouldn't it? Good dreams always end badly, and tonight had been the _best_ dream. He should leave before either of them get hurt, except now that's inevitable. He just said he loves her, and she's not a good enough liar to pretend that she doesn't love him. They're already fucked. Is there really any saving them, now?

"I don't want you to leave." She says, because she has to say _something_.

Tyrone seems to unwind a bit and it makes her love him just a little more. "Okay. What would you like to do?"

She glances at his hand and threads her fingers between his, pulling him closer on the bed. "I want you to kiss me."

The spark returns to his eyes and he grins. "I can do that."

Hooking his hand below her jaw, Ty kisses her with reverie. Tandy tries to relax, reminds herself that they can take it slow. Then she thinks about the fact that he loves her – _he loves her –_ and her heart beats double time.

Pulling away, she asks, "Do you mean it?" She just needs to hear it one more time. She'll believe it if he promises just one more time.

Ty furrows his brows. "Do I mean I'll make you cum or that I love you? Because it's a _yes_ to both."

 _Fuck it_ , she grabs his face and tackles him in a kiss. Tyrone yelps but laughs into her mouth as he rolls her onto her back. She feels the now familiar warmth of his shadows encircling her and hums with satisfaction.

Emboldened, he takes her earlobe between his teeth and sucks on it gently. Her hum turns into a breathy little sigh. They continue to kiss, hands running aimlessly over one another when he pulls back, gazing at her with fathomless eyes.

"What do you like?" he rasps. "How do I make you feel good?"

She misses his lips so she yanks him back down, arching her body into his. "I like to be loud." She pants between kisses.

"Then scream, baby." And _holy fucking shit,_ she has no clue where that came from but definitely approves.

"I want your fingers inside me. And your mouth on me."

He murmurs a confirmation into her skin, mouth tantalizing her collarbone while his hand toys with her breast. The other slips lower, drawing a path from her rib to below her navel. Her breath hitches with anticipation. She digs her nails into his back and in response he sucks a mark into her collarbone. When his hand slips between her legs, she opens for him without thinking. Rays of soft white light emanate from her skin, flickering as Ty hits different points of pleasure.

His lips move down to her neglected breast and Tandy groans as his tongue dances over her nipple, the other being rolled between his fingers. The hand playing with her cunt is still exploring and she rocks her hips against it.

"Here?"

Tandy lays her trembling hand over his and moves it up more. "A little higher. It's just a – _ahh."_ She throws her head back, " _There._ "

She can hear the grin in his voice when he says, " _There?_ " and gives a hard stroke against her clit, making her vision go white for a second.

She moans something inaudible, making Ty chuckle. Keeping up the motions of his hands, he kisses along her jaw and whispers in her ear. "You're beautiful." Then he slips a finger inside her. She hisses and he stills his hand. "Okay?"

" _Yes._ " She whines – actually _whines_.

He slips another finger inside then slowly starts pumping them in and out of her. She's breathing hard against his neck, clutching at his shoulders in an attempt to bring him closer. He complies, and she can feel the darkness seeping into her skin, warming her from the inside out.

" _Mmh, Ty_ …"

He massages her clit with his thumb while his fingers keep their pace. "Call me angel."

Tandy punches out a disbelieving laugh. She pays for it when he drives his fingers hard inside her, slipping a third digit in while she's still crying out.

" _Ahh… angel… angel…_ "

The three fingers are sweet torture. Her palms begin to tingle with a new sensation, nothing like when she draws her blades. Threading her hands around Ty's neck, she presses them into his skin and watches his face go lax. He hums from low in his throat and leans into her arm.

"That's nice." He murmurs.

"I love you."

They stare at each other in surprise, his hand going still inside her. She blinks rapidly and realizes with a start that she'd said that out loud.

"I… um…" she fumbles for something to smooth it over, but what can? It's the truth, for once. "I do. I love you."

If his other kisses had been sweet or passionate, this one is devouring. She makes a small noise as his mouth collides with hers, pressing his tongue inside. His fingers resume their pace with newfound rigor and she croons into his mouth. They stay like that for what feels like a lifetime: his fingers inside her, thumb teasing her clit, while she radiates energy through her hands. All the while, he kisses her. His lips occasionally dip down to her breasts or her neck but they always come back to hers.

When he does pull away, she's pettish about it, biting his lower lip and murmuring for him to stay. His eyes are mischievous, though, and she doesn't understand until he removes his fingers.

"W-what are you doing?" she exclaims, betrayed.

Ty chuckles. "Calm down." Then he brings one finger to his mouth a sucks it clean. "We have all night."

He cleans his other fingers while Tandy just gapes at him. It's like he's been reset: kissing her, playing with her breasts, teasing her entrance. Tandy already feels ready to burst, her skin glowing like moonlight. What is his game?

Then his mouth travels lower, past her breast to her navel, and she gets it. She hums in approval as his tongue draws patterns across her skin. Then he shifts even lower on the bed, and _fuck_ , she can feel his breath against her cunt. The sound that escapes her is somewhere between a sigh and a whimper.

"Is this where you want me?" Ty says, two fingers parting her while the middle one plays with her clit. She chokes out a reply but he shakes his head. "What was that?"

" _Yes."_ She begs, and if she were in her right mind, she may be embarrassed about that.

"Hm…" Ty hums thoughtfully. He leans in, _tantalizingly_ close, but diverts his attention to her thigh, kissing up and down the inside of it. "Not here?"

"What?" She can't even processes what he's saying, so drunk on desire that her thoughts are lagging behind.

"Or here?" he moves to the other thigh, this time sucking a mark into her skin.

"Ty, what are you doing?" she demands, chest heaving.

"I'm just making sure I do a good job."

"Tyrone Johnson, I swear to – _Gah!_ " Her heads hits the pillows hard, her back arching as his tongue slips inside her. " _G-god… mmh… Ty…"_

He laps at her as his hands send currents of energy up her thighs. She's trembling with the input, her brain overloading on stimulation. With her skin lighting the dark room, she can make out beads of sweat along Tyrone's brow, the color of his tongue as he circles her clit.

" _Fuck._ "

Her back arches again when his fingers enter her, working in tandem with his tongue at her clit. His free hand reaches up and palms at her breast. Her fists dig into the bedsheets and she's pretty sure they're about to catch fire. She's a mess, for lack of a better word; moaning and gasping and screaming his name. If she ever slipped up with a guy before – yelled a little too loud or spoke too rough – he'd be immediately put off. Now, the louder she gets the more it seems to egg Ty on. He pumps harder, faster, sucking on her clit until she's beyond speech.

Her orgasm catches her completely off guard, knocking her out of her body and into a realm of white hot pleasure. She may scream his name, or an expletive, or something completely unintelligible – even she isn't sure. Ty slows his pace as she comes down, easing her through it. She feels utterly boneless but manages to latch onto his arm and pull him up with her.

They're both sweaty and panting but neither seems to care as they lay side by side, Tyrone's arm around Tandy's shoulders. They stare up at the ceiling as the last glimmers of light and shadow fade away. Tandy thinks of several witty things to fill the silence with, but she holds her tongue. It's unprecedented for her, but there's nothing she wants to change about this moment.


End file.
